Similar to other board sports, the origin of snowboarding comes from surfing. The desire to stand up and ride waves sideways has existed for hundreds of years. It was a central part of the ancient Polynesian culture on the Hawaiian Islands and from there it has spread to beaches all around the world. The appeal of surfing in part comes from the thrill and associated adrenaline rush a rider gets when they master the environment. Skill and balance are required to successfully carve ocean waves.
Carving is the core of all board sports. It is how a rider navigates the terrain and controls their speed. Besides standing up, it is the first thing a boarder learns how to do. It typically involves shifting balance to the toes or heels to move the board in the desired direction. The act of doing this is fairly consistent across all board sports but the equipment plays a major role in performing a successful carve on the respective terrain. Board riders have found a way to carve nearly every terrain imaginable and there is a wide variety of equipment that caters to a rider's individual style.
Surfing for instance has spawned dozens of subcategories that all involve riding the water. Stand-up paddle surfing for example involves a rider using a long paddle to propel themselves in flat water. This means they no longer need to lie down on the board and use their arms to move when there is not a breaking wave to carry them. Another popular water-surfing sport is wake-boarding. A rider is strapped into a board and is towed behind a motor boat. This concept has dual origins as it is also largely influenced by water-skiing.
A similar history exists for snowboarding. In the 1960's, a handful of surfers looked at the snow-covered mountains and saw the potential to surf new terrain. Since skiing already existed and was a fairly developed activity, the groundwork for how someone might “surf” the snow was generally defined. The incline of the mountain provided momentum and the deep snow could be carved very similarly to the way a surfboard carves water. From there it was a matter of developing the equipment and pushing the limits of what a snowboard could be.
Snowboard designs have changed greatly in the past forty to fifty years. What started out as clumsy plank of plywood has evolved into a highly sophisticated and lightweight board. A major development in snowboarding came with the incorporation of bindings. Board designers believed it was necessary for a rider to be strapped to the board in order to have proper control and stability while riding. Additionally, snowboards began using metal edges around the base to permit carving in snow conditions other than powder. This addition made snowboarding viable on hard packed snow and even icy terrain.
The most common form of snowboarding, similar to skiing, occurs at ski resorts. A rider wears special boots which are designed to fit into bindings that are mounted to the snowboard. To move around when gravity or momentum is not assisting, the back foot is removed from the binding and used to push against the snow to propel the rider forward. A ski lift is typically used to ascend the terrain, and upon reaching the end of the lift, the rider re-connects their back foot into the binding. With both feet secured to the board, the rider descends the slope, carving back and forth in the snow maximize their experience and to control their speed and position.
At the onset, snowboarding can be an intimidating sport. The equipment is expensive, the learning curve is steep, and riders are limited as to where they can effectively ride with a traditional board configuration. The foregoing are major deterrents for people looking to enter the sport as well as being some of the main reasons riders abandon snowboarding as a winter activity. Much like in surfing and skateboarding, people have different intentions and preferences in how they ride. Some are more casual, some seek a greater thrill or adrenaline release, while still others want to master different tricks and maneuvers. Beginners typically prefer a smooth, comfortable and safe learning experience. Experienced riders typically want to try something new and/or different to revitalize their love of the sport. One option includes providing a variety of equipment that caters to an individual's needs. This option is something that the surfing and skateboarding communities do very well. Snowboarding on the other hand falls short of providing the amount of options as its concrete and water-riding counterparts.
Therefore, there is a need for alternate snowboard configurations that provide riders control and stability while maintaining or reinvigorating the riders' love of the sport, e.g., a snowboard that does not require a secured connection between the rider and the board.